LEGO Brings Adorable A-Frame Cabin to Life with Amazing Details

An architectural icon from the years 1950 to 1975, the A-Frame cabin still remains one of the most eye-catching and visually memorable home styles. Characterized by an A-shaped design, the frame eschews a ceiling, instead opting for tapering walls that create a unique space to inhabit, with the option of high ceilings or even multi-level living that feels dynamic yet rustic at the same time. This cabin designed in LEGO bricks by LEGO user Norton74, captures the trend of the A-Frame heyday. In ways it also challenges the very nature of the LEGO Brick, which was itself designed to make traditional cuboidal structures back when it was invented in the 1930s.

Designer: Norton74

The beauty of Norton74’s A-Frame cabin is just how remarkably real it is. Whether observed from the outside or even its immaculately detailed insides, every corner of this build has something new to reveal. The cabin itself sits on a stone brick plinth, with colorful larch trees in the background. It’s mildly decrepit, with crooked staircases and boarded-up doors, but that adds to its charm.

The inside of the cabin shows exactly how charmingly rustic and cozy it is. A multi-level design gives you a recreational area at the bottom (with a fireplace), and a bedroom on the top that features two single beds and even some cobwebs on the wall for that forest charm. To access the insides of the cabin, all you need to do is ‘open’ its slanting walls outwards. Hinges on the bottom of the walls make it easy to access the interiors during play-time, and close it back once you’re done.

The inside is just filled with all sorts of details, from tools to trinkets, and even a tiny kitchen of sorts with a dining table. Norton74’s rather mindfully used discolored wooden bricks (including even some with shingle detailing) to mimic the variety often found in wooden cabins – especially ones that have been repaired and restored.

There’s even a backstory to Norton74’s cabin design. “Two brothers, Dan and Ethan, burned out on modern working believed that stripping away modern comforts and living more simply in nature would lead to a more spiritually a creatively fulfilling life. They looked for a cabin in the woods and finally found out this old wooden A-Frame Cabin. They fixed it up, and now they live there happily,” he mentions.

Dan and Ethan aren’t the only occupants of the cabin. Aside from the spiders on the first floor, the cabin is also accompanied by chickens, rodents, a skunk, and even a bear lurking around in the back.

Norton74’s LEGO A-Frame Cabin started its journey as a submission on the LEGO Ideas forum, where it received overwhelming support from the LEGO fanbase. Earlier this year, LEGO turned Norton74’s submission into a retail box kit (you can buy the LEGO A-Frame Cabin right now), although the design went through multiple rounds of changes to make it smaller and simpler for younger users to build. If you ask me, I prefer Norton74’s MOC (My Own Creation) overwhelmingly. It’s charmingly crude, has a son-of-the-soil appeal to it, and certainly possesses much more character if you ask me!

SULA Is An Environmentally Conscious A-Frame Prefabricated Cabin In The Galapagos Islands

If you’re looking for a stunning little cabin in the woods to get away to and simply relax, then you’ve reached the right place. Cabins are by far the best type of vacation I’ve come across. They’re a peaceful and tranquil option to abandon your urban life and woes, and simply unwind in nature. If you’re wondering where to head for your next cabin retreat, then we may have found the ideal one for you – SULA. Nestled in the Galapagos Islands, SULA is a prefabricated A-frame cabin that is a modern contemporary dwelling built using a mixture of wood, stone, metal, glass, and PVC. The cabin is designed by Diana Salvador, and it is anything but a conventional cabin.

Designer: Diana Salvador

The SULA Cabin is not simply an ordinary home but is the result of genius planning and environmental consciousness. The home was designed and constructed in continental Ecuador, and then transported in a thousand different pieces to the Galapagos Islands, where it is assembled and put together. The two-month design built involves 2000 custom-made components that are joined using 17,000 screws and pins! These various elements are then transported to Santa Cruz Island in two containers.

The assembly of the SULA Cabin took the efforts of four plant technicians and six floating employees who came from the mainland and utilized their specialized skills to build an impressive cabin within four weeks. This particular cabin was custom-designed for Catalina and her family, who have been living in the Galapagos for almost forty years. The cabin was designed to be a harmonious and subtle living space that attempts to respect its residents and the surrounding environments.

The SULA cabin is designed to be a premium quality, and sustainable structure that can be constructed without adversely impacting the environment. Although it is not a traditional A-frame cabin, it features a flap top that mimics an A in a different font without a cap. It is scalable, transportable, and can easily adapt to different environments and landscapes. It can also be easily disassembled and relocated, making it a true architectural marvel that impresses with its flexibility and adaptability.

Adventure Whare Retreat Is A Traditional A-Frame Hut With A Modern Twist To Let You Comfortably Enjoy The Outdoors

If you’re looking for a cozy and comfy nature retreat then you may want to consider the Adventure Whare Retreat. Designed by Studio Well, the Adventure Whare Retreat is located in Castle Hill Village, New Zealand. The spacious and impressive home is a traditional A-frame structure with a modern and contemporary twist. It perfectly merges with its alpine surroundings, while also prioritizing practicality and sustainability. The home is designed to offer a sanctuary of peace, shelter, relaxation, and connection.

Designer: Studio Well

The exterior of the home is inspired by the traditional A-frame hut. The home is surrounded by trees and nestled in greenery. It provides ample shelter and privacy while flaunting a roof with timber-framed glazing that connects the retreat with the native bush reserve. The intriguing cloaked form of the home ensures that it is well protected from the weather. As you enter the home, you are welcomed by a warm and open space marked with exposed timber structural elements and cork flooring.

The entrance holds a mudroom that stores wet gear and flat-roofed bedroom wings which in turn provide privacy and relaxation. The retreat is the perfect culmination of warmth, simplicity, and minimalism. It is well connected to nature and serves as a unique and simple dwelling to reside in. Natural materials and green tones define the entire space.

The Adventure Whare Retreat was designed as a space for recharge and reprieve for the entire family. The family enjoys adventuring and exploring local mountains, and forest regions, hence the home is a calm and peaceful shelter for them. The exposed timber theme has been maintained indoors and outdoors, which supports an outdoor lifestyle while allowing a serene connection to the surrounding landscape. The materials selected are not only chosen for aesthetics but also to handle the rigors and moodiness of the climate. Ultimately, the Adventure Whare Retreat is an excellent escape from hectic city life and a safe haven in the wild outdoors. The interiors are welcoming and warm, but well-equipped and spacious. It allows you to disconnect from urban life and connect with rural life in a safe, comfortable, and cozy manner.

Meet The A-frame Club: A Series Of Prefabricated A-Frame Cabins In A Snowflake Pattern

In Winter Park, Colorado are 31 A-frame cabins in a hexagonal arrangement called the A-frame Club. Designed by Skylab Architecture and completed this year, the prefabricated cabins are a rejuvenated and upgraded version of traditional ski chalets. With a contemporary twist, the compact and adorable cabins form a snowflake pattern across the three-acre lot. Occupying 23,450 feet, the project “takes design cues from 1970s American ski culture and the iconic A-frame cabins of that era,” said the studio.

Designer: Skylab Architecture

The entire project is a combination of raised cabins and a network of boardwalks that allow guests to interact with the mountain site, without harming the trees and natural watershed. It provides guests with an opportunity to completely immerse themselves in the natural landscape and beauty of the woods by the Fraser River. The cabins occupy 475 square feet and were prefabricated in Los Angeles by Plant Prefab, and assembled on-site.

The picturesque cabins feature steep black metal roofs that support warm vertical cedar boards. They are highlighted by tall triangular windows under the eaves that allow natural light to stream into the interiors while providing stunning views of the mountains. Inside, the cabins hold a living room, kitchenette, and bathroom, as well as a lofted bedroom space.

“The cabins are designed for adaptability. The lofted bed is accessible by a ship’s ladder, and the living room couches can be folded out. Guests are in control of their space, from individual keypads for self-check-in to simple, automated controls for heating, cooling, and lighting,” said the studio.

The interiors are quite warm and welcoming. They are lined with warm-toned cedar panels and custom millwork. Custom Malm fireplaces and vintage furnishings adorn the insides of the cabin – inspiration is drawn from classic ski advertisements. “Tactile custom finishes – including breeze blocks, bespoke woodwork, stained glass, leather upholstery, and even Noguchi-style lighting – emphasize craftsmanship while natural elements like cedar infuse a sense of warmth,” said the studio.

The cabins were also designed to be eco-friendly, as they are incorporated with energy-efficient heating, lighting, and low-flow fixtures. Since they are prefabricated, this also reduces material waste and allows them to be placed around mature trees without disturbing them.

This A-Frame Home In Mexico City Has An Underground Floor With Submerged Bedrooms

Designed by local studio Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados, this wooden A-Frame house is located in a forested area outside of Mexico City. The home features unique underground bedrooms and is surrounded by greenery on all sides, in the forest of Valle de Bravo. The expansive home includes two volumes stacked on top of each other, with the public living spaces located above, and the private living spaces located below.

Pros:

  • Built using pre-fabricated elements
  • The pitched roof is used for rainwater harvesting, filtering light, and passively ventilating the home

Cons:

  • The home is quite open and expansive with large windows, which could create a privacy issue
  • It could be tricky to move furniture between the two floors

Designer: Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados 

The A-Frame House has a large ground level featuring a semi-open living and dining room, kitchen, and family room. These spaces have a minimal footprint to create adequate space for a terrace. Pre-fabricated elements were brought to the site, and put together to build the A-Frame structure. The top and sides of the home have been covered in glass, including the space at the back. The terrace holds an outdoor pool and lounge area to allow residents to feel closer to the natural surroundings of the home.  “The main goal of this project was to give more importance to the surroundings present and to the open space given, embracing the idea of emptiness even with the possibility of having the architecture disappear,” said Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados (PPAA) founder Pablo Pérez Palacios.

Quite interestingly, a submerged staircase on the terrace grants access to the lower level which accommodates three bedrooms with private baths, and a small study. The sleeping sections have been artfully concealed into the ground, with surrounding trees providing an ample amount of privacy. “This design method gives you the possibility to really disconnect while enjoying your own solitude in the surrounding nature, gently forcing you to have that moment of relationship with the site, even if you’re just going to bed,” said Pérez Palacios.

The exterior of the home has a black finish accentuated by dark roof tiles, whereas the interiors are quite minimal and warm, highlighted with natural materials in neutral tones, and certified wood on the walls. The pitched roof of the A-Frame house isn’t just for aesthetic purposes, it also collects rainwater which is then transferred to an open water deposit for reuse.